Marie Antoinette — Complete eBook

a memorial?” replied the King. “Yes,
Sire, I have.”—­“Give it to
me;” and his Majesty took it without saying anything
more. Next morning he was sent for by the, King,
who said, “Monsieur, I grant you an annuity
of 1,500 livres out of my privy purse, and you may
go and receive the first year’s payment, which
is now due.” ("Secret Correspondence of the
Court: Reign of Louis XVI.”) The King preferred
to spend money in charity rather than in luxury or
magnificence. Once during his absence, M. d’Augivillers
caused an unused room in the King’s apartment
to be repaired at a cost of 30,000 francs. On
his return the King made Versailles resound with complaints
against M. d’Augivillers: “With that
sum I could have made thirty families happy,”
he said.]

CHAPTER IX.

From the time of Louis XVI.’s accession to the
throne, the Queen had been expecting a visit from
her brother, the Emperor Joseph ii. That
Prince was the constant theme of her discourse.
She boasted of his intelligence, his love of occupation,
his military knowledge, and the perfect simplicity
of his manners. Those about her Majesty ardently
wished to see at Versailles a prince so worthy of
his rank. At length the coming of Joseph ii.,
under the title of Count Falkenstein, was announced,
and the very day on which he would be at Versailles
was mentioned. The first embraces between the
Queen and her august brother took place in the presence
of all the Queen’s household. The sight
of their emotion was extremely affecting.

The Emperor was at first generally admired in France;
learned men, well-informed officers, and celebrated
artists appreciated the extent of his information.
He made less impression at Court, and very little
in the private circle of the King and Queen.
His eccentric manners, his frankness, often degenerating
into rudeness, and his evidently affected simplicity,—­all
these characteristics caused him to be looked upon
as a prince rather singular than admirable.
The Queen spoke to him about the apartment she had
prepared for him in the Chateau; the Emperor answered
that he would not accept it, and that while travelling
he always lodged at a cabaret (that was his very expression);
the Queen insisted, and assured him that he should
be at perfect liberty, and placed out of the reach
of noise. He replied that he knew the Chateau
of Versailles was very large, and that so many scoundrels
lived there that he could well find a place; but that
his valet de chambre had made up his camp-bed in a
lodging-house, and there he would stay.

He dined with the King and Queen, and supped with
the whole family. He appeared to take an interest
in the young Princesse Elisabeth, then just past childhood,
and blooming in all the freshness of that age.
An intended marriage between him and this young sister
of the King was reported at the time, but I believe
it had no foundation in truth.